Demetrious Johnson says Colby Covington 'breaks his opponents' but isn't confident that 'Chaos' will beat a 'mentally tough' Kamaru Usman at UFC 268
Demetrious Johnson is the latest fighter to weigh in on the Kamaru Usman vs Colby Covington fight at UFC 268. He was asked about the matchup by James Lynch in a 'Pros Pick' video.
The former UFC flyweight champion had some strong thoughts about the matchup and believes it comes down to the mental aspect of the sport. Speaking about the fight, Johnson said:
"I think the one thing with Colby Covington is that when he fought Tyron Woodley, he broke him. When he fought Robbie Lawler, he broke him. I feel like he breaks his opponents. I don't think he is going to break Kamaru Usman. He's too tough. He is mentally tough."
You can watch the full video below:
Demetrious Johnson commented on the fact that Colby Covington approaches his fights with the idea that he will break his opponents mentally. The style is dependent on three factors; pressure, volume, and cardio. The style won't work without a good gas tank to keep you going.
This was seen in the examples that Demetrious Johnson listed. Robbie Lawler found himself drowning in Covington's volume and he had a lot of trouble trying to counter the wrestler. Eventually, Lawler was completely overwhelmed and Covington won a dominant decision.
Robbie Lawler came to speak to the media backstage and was definitely wearing that fight. He was nothing but class. Gave all respect to Colby Covington. #UFCNewark https://t.co/jeY92DQZcM
This could also be seen in the Tyron Woodley fight that ended with a fifth-round TKO due to a rib injury. Woodley found himself stuck with Covington's pressure and volume. The former welterweight champion was frustrated and eventually a rib injury saw him decide that he had enough.
Demetrious Johnson on Kamaru Usman's mental game
Kamaru Usman is very similar to Colby Covington in that he likes to pressure his opponents and dominate them in various aspects of the game. His power has also been a huge weapon in his past title defenses.
Demetrious Johnson also pointed to Kamaru Usman's mental game and praised his toughness. This is something that can be seen in many of his fights and a great example of his dominance is the performance against Tyron Woodley that won him the belt.
Woodley vs. Usman! https://t.co/4Z72tMeOM8